History

Statement of Purpose
The science of Archaeology is the most vital way to comprehend the pre-historic South America indigenous cultures and migrations of the people who existed during that particular period (Nextext, 2003).

Introduction
It is widely believed that the South American continent was occupied by humans no earlier than 15,000 BP, and possibly no earlier than 13,000  12,000 BP. While a number of sites dating to before 15,000 BP have been reported, none has gained extensive acceptance as a suitable indicator of early human presence on the continent. (Meltzer D, 1995)

Argument
There is little dispute among archaeologists that the first migrants in North America, known as Paleo- Indians, arrived from northeastern Asia by 10,000 BC (Nextext, 2003). There is also an agreement that humans quickly reached the southern most tip of South America by at least 10,000 BC. However, there are two conflicting theories among serious scholars. On one side, some Paleo- Indian specialists maintain that the earliest documented human occupation in the Americas is the Clovis culture (Meltzer D, 1995). Clovis dates to no earlier than 10,000 BC or so, at a time after the last glaciation.  In contrast, other specialists argue that glacial age humans have been in the Americas from as early as 40,000 BC or even earlier. The probable proof for a glacial age occupation in the New World includes several sites in South America (Prem, 2007).

The site of Monte Verde which is believed to contain evidence of wooden log structures, hearths, bifacial and unifacial tools and the remains of mastodon, in Chile has yielded C14 dates as early as 31,000 BC (Nextext, 2003). At Pedra Furada in Brazil, excavators report dates as early dates remain theoretical and unconfirmed. Currently, the evidence suggests that a pre- Clovis activity no earlier than 13,000 BC remains the best contender for the original migrants to the America (Meltzer D, 1995)

Lithic stage refers to the cultures of the first post-glacial hunters and collectors in South America. During this stage, the natives lived in small, mobile groups and they fished, hunted and collected plants as their way of life. Throughout South America, there are diverse stone tool traditions of this stage for example the Paijan, the fluted fishtail and the like that greatly mirror localized adaptations to the miscellaneous habitats of the continent (Swanson, Bray, Farrrington, 2008).

During the sixth millennium BC, the lithic stage way of life were replaced by the Archaic who were characterized by domestication of plants and animals, appearance of semi permanent houses and the beginnings of village life (Meltzer D, 1995). However, hunting and collection of wild plants were still the main economic activities but due to the increase of population, the nomadic lifestyle was adopted (Nextext, 2003).  Some sites on the Peruvian coast such as Paloma and Chilca I symbolized the changes that happened in the Archaic. At Paloma, the early archaic camps grew into a permanent village where its inhabitants lived in circular, cane- roofed houses and they thoroughly exploited the sea where their domesticated food was supplemented with sea food. By the end of this stage, there was a steady agricultural system that was utilized by people who lived in permanent villages (Meltzer D, 1995).

The origins of civilization were found in the profound stages that occurred in several areas of human life in South America. Many organizations for example, economic organizations became more compound with an increasing dissimilarity between social groups. Thus, economies became dependent on stable agricultural systems and environments that increasingly became altered by the people (Nextext, 2003).